Compound semiconductor device, method for producing the same, and power supply

Abstract

A compound semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a first compound semiconductor layer formed over the substrate; a second compound semiconductor layer formed over the first compound semiconductor layer; and an upper electrode formed over the first compound semiconductor layer, wherein two-dimensional hole gas is generated in a region of the first compound semiconductor layer, the region being located at an interface between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer, so as to have a hole concentration that decreases with increasing distance from the upper electrode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compound semiconductor device comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a first compound semiconductor layer formed over the substrate; 
 a second compound semiconductor layer formed over the first compound semiconductor layer; and 
 an upper electrode formed over the first compound semiconductor layer, 
 wherein two-dimensional hole gas is generated in a region of the first compound semiconductor layer, the region being located at an interface between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer, so as to have a hole concentration that decreases with increasing distance along a direction parallel to the substrate from the upper electrode. 
 
     
     
       2. The compound semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second compound semiconductor layer has a stepped structure in which a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer decreases stepwise with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       3. The compound semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second compound semiconductor layer is composed of a compound semiconductor containing aluminum or indium, and a content of aluminum or indium of the second compound semiconductor layer decreases with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       4. The compound semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second compound semiconductor layer includes a plurality of thick-film portions separated by a plurality of grooves, and a width of the plurality of thick-film portions decreases stepwise with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       5. The compound semiconductor device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first compound semiconductor layer is composed of a gallium nitride-based semiconductor, and 
 the second compound semiconductor layer is composed of one semiconductor selected from a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing aluminum, a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing indium, and a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing aluminum and indium. 
 
     
     
       6. The compound semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lower electrode formed on a back surface of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       7. A method for producing a compound semiconductor device, comprising:
 forming a first compound semiconductor layer over a substrate; 
 forming a second compound semiconductor layer over the first compound semiconductor layer; and 
 forming an upper electrode over the first compound semiconductor layer, 
 wherein two-dimensional hole gas is generated in a region of the first compound semiconductor layer, the region being located at an interface between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer, so as to have a hole concentration that decreases with increasing distance along a direction parallel to the substrate from the upper electrode. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the second compound semiconductor layer is formed so as to have a stepped structure in which a thickness of the second compound semiconductor layer decreases stepwise with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the second compound semiconductor layer is composed of a compound semiconductor containing aluminum or indium, and a content of aluminum or indium of the second compound semiconductor layer decreases with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the forming the second compound semiconductor layer includes
 forming a mask having an opening for an area where the second compound semiconductor layer is to be formed, and 
 by molecular beam epitaxy, making aluminum or indium incident at a first angle tilted away from the upper electrode with reference to a line normal to the substrate, and making another material element incident at a second angle tilted toward the upper electrode with reference to the normal line, and 
 the second angle is larger than the first angle. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of grooves are formed in the second compound semiconductor layer such that the second compound semiconductor layer includes a plurality of thick-film portions separated by the plurality of grooves, and a width of the plurality of thick-film portions decreases stepwise with increasing distance from the upper electrode. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first compound semiconductor layer is composed of a gallium nitride-based semiconductor, and
 the second compound semiconductor layer is composed of one semiconductor selected from a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing aluminum, a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing indium, and a gallium nitride-based semiconductor containing aluminum and indium. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 forming a lower electrode on a back surface of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       14. A power supply comprising
 a Power Factor Correction circuit including a diode and a switching element, at least one of the diode and the switching element is a compound semiconductor device, the compound semiconductor device including 
 a substrate, 
 a first compound semiconductor layer formed over the substrate, 
 a second compound semiconductor layer formed aver the first compound semiconductor layer, and 
 an upper electrode formed over the first compound semiconductor layer, wherein 
 two-dimensional hole gas is generated in a region of the first compound semiconductor layer, the region being located at an interface between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer, so as to have a hole concentration that decreases with increasing distance from the upper electrode.